Hillsborough County Public Schools Business
Action Item

DATE: Tuesday, June 15, 2010
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent

SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS

Approve the Recommendation Regarding the Purchase of "Facilitating an Online Community" from Performance Learning Systems, Inc. (Sole-Source Provider) (Business Division)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

These items from Performance Learning Systems, Inc are considered sole source items and are exempt from the bidding process per Department of Education 6A1.012 purchasing policies.

The purchase of this course is an effort to ensure quality and consistency within our newly emerging distance learning implementation. This course, "Facilitating an Online Community," is for a period of five years to 750 district facilitators and developers of online courses. We want to provide a training program for all of those who will develop and facilitate our online courses. We would also like to ensure that the district provides distance learning courses that are of the same rigor and quality as the face-to-face courses it provides. We believe that in order to accomplish this, we must provide a training program that will be required for all developers and facilitators as the foundation for this effort.

ANNUAL DISTRICT GOAL(S) AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S)

* Recruit, develop, and retain a highly effective, diverse workforce

FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)

Budgeted Title II funds Part D, Title II funds and Technology Training funds Part I are available in the amount of $75,000 for this project.

EVALUATION

SUBMITTED BY: Kenneth E. Gerhart, Sr. Procurement Officer

Jean R. Bowman
General Manager, Procurement
(813) 272-4374
Gretchen Saunders
Chief Business Officer
(813) 272-4270
A 5.06R2
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20100615_402 * Section A Item# 5.06R2